Question #N979

The new student, whose name was Anya, was excited to join the school’s debate team. She was eager to learn new strategies and techniques, and she hoped to contribute to the team’s success at upcoming tournaments. Anya was a quick learner, and she quickly mastered the art of persuasive argumentation.

Which choice provides the best way to combine the sentences in the underlined portion of the passage?
A. Anya, whose name was eager to learn new strategies and techniques and hoped to contribute to the team’s success at upcoming tournaments.
B. Anya, whose name was, eager to learn new strategies and techniques, and she hoped to contribute to the team’s success at upcoming tournaments.
C. Anya, whose name was eager to learn new strategies and techniques, and she hoped to contribute to the team’s success at upcoming tournaments.
D. Anya, eager to learn new strategies and techniques, and she hoped to contribute to the team’s success at upcoming tournaments.

Correct Answer is: D

The best way to combine the sentences in the underlined portion is to remove the unnecessary phrase “whose name was” and to use a comma after “Anya” to introduce the two independent clauses. This creates a more concise and grammatically correct sentence. Choice A is incorrect because the phrase “whose name was” is unnecessary and makes the sentence awkward. Choice B is incorrect because the comma after “techniques” is unnecessary. Choice C is incorrect because the comma after “techniques” is unnecessary and the phrase “whose name was” is unnecessary and makes the sentence awkward.